What it's like to live in Newton
Newton is a small city in Kansas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Newton deals with crime rates above the national average, cold winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Newton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Newton
Based on Newton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,806
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $36,120 a year
- 43% of Newton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$31,280
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $15,640
- Homes cost 2.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 36% below US
$903/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $903 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $156,400. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $156,400 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Harvey County is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Harvey County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 126% above US
745 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 1430/100k · Newton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 21% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 27% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (51 miles away).
Bottom line
Newton's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($903/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Newton
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